


Secrets, Stories, and Songs

by witchy_caswell



Series: The Matthew-Smith family chaos! (With appearances by Carlos!) [3]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Fluff, I have no regrets, I was bored and this happened, M/M, Origin Story, Valentine's Day, i guess, maybe? - Freeform, there's a stuffed cow in there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29449533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchy_caswell/pseuds/witchy_caswell
Summary: In love on Valentines Day.Carlos will never tell anyone this, but the song usually annoyed him.-in which we see how Carlos and Seb start talking and their journey through a year-
Relationships: Ashlyn Caswell & Carlos Rodriguez, Seb Matthew-Smith/Carlos Rodriguez
Series: The Matthew-Smith family chaos! (With appearances by Carlos!) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2179695
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	Secrets, Stories, and Songs

Most first lines in movies are meaningful, not theirs. They didn’t say anything that would go down in history or something that would be quoted by everyone all over the world.  
It was Valentine's day and he was sitting in the corner, alone. When Ashlyn suggested a Valentine's party, everyone quickly agreed, not excluding Carlos. Even when his younger cousin told about his date.  
And that’s how he found himself listening to a playlist consisting of random love songs, mainly from Disney musicals, trying to distract himself from Ricky and Nini being gushy in the center of the room.  
At least until Seb, someone he didn’t know too well, came and sat beside him.  
“What are you doing?” he asked while Carlos took out his headphones.  
“Oh, nothing,” he shrugged, “Just trying to distract myself from the fact that my nine-year-old cousin has a date on Valentines Day and I do not,”  
Seb laughed. No one could hear it over the music. _In love on Valentines Day. _Carlos will never tell anyone this, but the song usually annoyed him. But the laugh was like a small secret that the two shared.  
“Well,” he smiled, leaning against the wall, “How about we be platonic valentines?”  
Carlos smiled and put his headphones away. “Deal,”  
The story could end there, but these two have many more stories to tell.  
Like the day before the auditions for High School Musical: The Musical at East High. They were talking about who could be cast as each character.  
“Nini told me that she’s thinking about auditioning for Gabriella,” Seb flipped through one of his books.  
Carlos nodded. “And I know you’d make an amazing Ryan,”  
The other boy sat up on the floor. He sucked air through his teeth. “I actually was maybe sort of thinking of possibly auditioning for Sharpay?”  
“Oh,”  
“You think it’s weird, don’t you?” he sunk back down, hiding his face in his book.  
“No!” Carlos shouted, hoping to correct his mistake, “You would be perfect,”  
Seb’s grin returned and before the two knew it, they were standing on the stage, ready for the auditions.  
Many more surprises came that night. Carlos already knew about Nini auditioning for Gabriella, but she and the new girl definitely had some sort of rivalry already. That plus the fact that Ricky barged in late to audition for Troy would make for an interesting show.  
Once Miss Jenn made her way down the line and finally reaching Seb. She asked if he was auditioning for Ryan. Carlos was quick to interrupt.  
“I think he’d rather play Sharpay,” he whispered to Miss Jenn.  
She turned back to Seb and nodded. As Carlos handed him the audition packet, Set smiled and whispered another secret thing for the two of them.  
“Thank you!” he grinned.  
The story could end there. But what fun would that be?  
Now, in our story, the rehearsals have been going on for quite a while. And it’s time for homecoming! As usual, East High is filled to the brim with drama. Nini and E.J. had just broken up, causing so much nonsense. But that’s a story for another day.  
Back to the actual story, after a few days of private lessons, Carlos decided that day would be the day. The day he asked Seb to homecoming.  
Sure it was the day before the dance, but what does that matter? Just the week before Seb had told him that he wasn’t planning to go as he had no one to go with. _Maybe, _Carlos had thought, _that could change. _  
So that’s why he’s sitting alone at table ten. A lovely sentence. But he didn’t understand why Seb wasn’t there. He had whispered “I’ll see you tonight” at the last class of the day. And yet, Carlos was alone. At least Ashlyn was trying to help.  
“Don’t assume Seb stood you up, ok?” she said, comforting her friend.  
It didn’t work. It did not.  
Something that did help, surprisingly, was when Carlos was getting a drink and somehow ended up confiding in his STEM teacher.  
“You don’t need a dance partner to dance,” those words echoed in his head.  
And you could bet he danced. Once the song started, a song that he would listen to on repeat every day the previous summer, he and Ashlyn took over the dance floor, crushes and cousins forgotten.  
Until the song ended and Carlos noticed Ashlyn staring off behind him. He turned to see Seb.  
Ashlyn walked away as a new song came on. _In love on valentines day. Maybe the song isn’t that bad after all. _Carlos thought after Seb apologized over and over again.  
And they spent the rest of the dance together. It was only an hour, but it was great.  
Once again, the story could end right then and there. But they’ve got one more up their sleeves.  
And it’s been a year. One year of secrets, stories, and songs.  
“Are you nervous?” Ashlyn asked as she walked her friend to the door.  
“Obviously,” Carlos responded, shifting the gift in his arms.  
“Good luck,” she walks back to the car.  
In the time that the quick exchange, the door opened.  
“Hi!” Seb exclaimed. He kissed Carlos on his cheek. And Carlos would tell Ashlyn later that he would never get used to this.  
Seb looked down at the gift Carlos was holding.  
“It’s a cow,” Carlos held it out to him.  
It was a pretty usual stuffed cow. In that strange sitting position almost all stuffed animals are in, black spots, one in the shape of a heart, and a huge read heart in its arms.  
The only thing that was off about it was the note tucked behind the heart.  
Seb took it and hugged it close. The paper crinkled and he pulled it out, very confused.  
His eyes darted back and forth as he read the note. It’s not many words, just the right amount to tell Seb exactly what Carlos wants to tell him.  
“In love on valentines day,” he laughed, reading the words aloud, “For the best Sharpay I’ve met, I love you,”  
He almost dropped the cow as he rushed forward to Carlos. He kissed him. It seemed to last an eternity. A single forever until they pull apart. Seb pressed his forehead to Carlos’ and whispered one last secret.  
“I love you too,”  
So maybe their first lines weren’t perfect, but at the end of this story, their last lines were just right for them.________


End file.
